Hurray's GIRL BEER Announces $5M Funding Round and Retail Expansion into Walmart, Kroger, and Albertsons

The Fast-Growing Beer Brand Raises Seed Capital to Accelerate National Retail Expansion

LOS ANGELES, March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hurray's GIRL BEER, the humor-led flavored light beer brand leading a new wave of beer built for the next generation of drinkers, today announced a new funding round led by Lakehouse Ventures, with participation from Spice Capital, CPG industry insiders, entertainment executives - and, notably, despite the brand's arbitrary ban of one guy named Connor, another guy named Connor.

The funding follows a successful California launch and rapid, multi-state expansion into the Southwest and Texas, where the brand is partnering with leading Anheuser-Busch and Molson Coors distributors. In its first year, the brand secured retail placements with national chains including Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons, and Whole Foods.

"Beer is one of the most untapped frontiers in beverage for new-entrant brands. For the first time in history, the majority of alcohol consumers under the age of 30 are female," said Ray Biebuyck, Founder & CEO of Hurray's Girl Beer. "Nearly 60% of those women say they don't drink beer because the category lacks flavor options. There is a clear opportunity to bring more fun and flavor to beer, and after proving the concept in our home market in 2025, we're excited to take the next step."

Over the past year, the brand has focused heavily on velocity in its home market, achieving top-15% performance across many grocery chain accounts. As the business expands, Girl Beer will continue pursuing deeper ACV and distribution in its existing footprint while selectively entering new markets that fit its strategic criteria: strong large-format grocery engagement, culture-setting retailers, and significant Gen Z, Millennial, and college-town demand.

"We've been incredibly fortunate to partner with blue-chip distributors and retailers as we head into a major 2026 expansion," Biebuyck said. "This is the year we establish the brand across multiple markets - taking what we've learned from our California launch and scaling it nationally."

In 2026, the funding will support Girl Beer's sales and marketing efforts as the company continues its national rollout, including expansion into new markets in the Midwest and Southeast where the brand is already in advanced discussions with top-tier distributor and chain retail partners. The investment will also support additional viral marketing campaigns designed to drive nationwide brand awareness.

The company has also expanded its core team through several strategic moves across sales, marketing, and operations. Girl Beer retained BrightBev, founded by Molson Coors veteran Jeff Agase, to lead distributor expansion; hired Matt Webster, former Vice President at Juneshine, to oversee operations and production; tapped Elisha Sevier, founder of Peaklign Partners and formerly of Red Bull and Walmart, to lead retail sales; and brought on former Liquid Death creatives.

In response to strong chain retail demand, the company will also launch seven new flavors in its flavored light beer lineup: Strawberry, Mango, Tangerine, Peach, Passionfruit Orange, Strawberry Watermelon, and Grapefruit Guava. Each beer contains 95 calories, 4.2% ABV, and no added sugar, and will now be available in both 6-packs and mixed variety 12-packs.

"Beer is a $100+ billion category, yet it has seen very little real innovation in the last decade," says John Neamonitis, Founder and General Partner of Lakehouse Ventures, which has invested in notable consumer brands including Billie, the women's razor company acquired by Edgewell in 2021, and Bobbie, the high-growth baby formula company. "As an investor, there aren't many markets where you see a dynamic like this. Combine that with a founder like Ray, who has both cultural and product insight, and we believe there's a recipe to build something incredibly special."

"Ray is a one-of-one founder - combining the business rigor of an investment banker with the cultural instinct of an art history major," says Maya Bakhai, Founder and Managing Partner of Spice Capital and former investor for NBA player Kevin Durant, with portfolio companies including the viral sunscreen brand Vacation. "You can see it in the product - it speaks for itself. Ray saw what the broader beer industry missed: the next generation of drinkers wants flavor, fun, and brands that reflect culture. We're excited to double down as the company scales nationwide and Hurray builds a platform of brands across beverage."

The brand also received a strong endorsement from the founder's mother. "This is my favorite beer," said Valerie Biebuyck, adding, "seriously, I promise I'm not biased."

ABOUT HURRAY'S GIRL BEER

Launched in Fall 2024 by Los Angeles-based consumer brand company Hurray, its Girl Beer is bringing a new generation of drinkers to the beer aisle. The brand pairs irreverent, narrative-driven marketing with flavored light beers made with real juice and organic flavors. Each 4.2% ABV beer contains 95 calories, zero added sugar, and comes in bright flavors like Pineapple Yuzu, Tangerine, Peach, and Strawberry Watermelon.

For more information, visit Girl Beer's website or follow them on Instagram.

ABOUT LAKEHOUSE VENTURES
Lakehouse Ventures is an early-stage investment firm backing founders who are innovating the everyday products, services, and software of our everyday lives. The firm invests in entrepreneurs building from a place of insight and passion, believing that the people who have intimately felt the problem they are solving will create the things consumers want most. Lakehouse launched in New York City in 2017 and has deployed over $100 MM across 42 companies.

For more information, visit Lakehouse Ventures' website.

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SOURCE Hurray’s GIRL BEER